ASEAN's new chief gives first speech

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has formally inaugurated its next chief, Le Luong Minh, as it faces increased scrutiny on the world stage.

The regional alliance of 10 countries is at the centre of the thorniest disputes in the region over territorial rights to the South China Sea.

It will now be up to the new secretary general to navigate the different tensions between its member nations and China.

Mr Minh, the former deputy foreign minister of Vietnam, takes over from the widely respected Surin Pitsuwan, who has finished his five-year term.

In his first speech the new chief said ASEAN needs to build on the progress for a code of conduct and speed up efforts for an early start to negotiations with China.

He says his five-year term will be exciting and critical.

"The more open flow of investments, capital, labour, goods and services will pose different challenges and opportunities for our member states, but it will also have a tremendous multiplier effect on the region," he said at the Jakarta-based ASEAN Secretariat.

"We have to maximize common grounds and minimize differences to ensure it adds value to every ASEAN member state."

The 10 south-east Asian nations that make up ASEAN have just three years to realise their dream for creating a regional economic zone that will pull together some of the fastest growing economies in the world, such as Indonesia, and established centres, like Singapore.

Minh, 60, is a veteran diplomat who served as Vietnam's permanent representative to the United Nations from 2004 to 2011 before becoming deputy foreign minister.